


Taste of Elysium

by Lilia_ula



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Beware the Chariot Drawn By Four Black Horses, Beware the Red Lily, Dream Sex, Elevated Sex...literally, Erotic Symbolism, F/M, Foreplay, Gardens of the Underworld, Greek Mythological Symbolism Galore, Hades Touch Is Golden, Mythical Beings & Creatures, Rethink The Underworld
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-26
Updated: 2018-07-26
Packaged: 2019-06-16 17:21:53
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,874
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15442062
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lilia_ula/pseuds/Lilia_ula
Summary: Thanks to the presence of a tall, dark and handsome classmate, Rey's Greek Mythology summer course was hotter than hell. She'd given up trying to concentrate, and so had he, drawn by their chemistry into a game of enticement that couldn't last.Weeks of endured longing end in a tryst steeped in the mythical elements of their focus.





	Taste of Elysium

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Mallie3](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mallie3/gifts).



> For my Writing Den diva, Mallie3. I hope you enjoy my lovely. And a kiss on the wind to Midnightbluefox, who kindly gave me some pointers on this work.
> 
> Hades is associated with gold, and I wanted to incorporate the concept erotically. I played with the idea that his touch was intensely pleasurable, and that it translates visibly upon her body. 
> 
> Some research went into the dream elements of this fic, but I can't claim accuracy, so feel free to educate me if you spy mistakes! I've included a terminology key for you curious souls.

 

Musical Inspiration: ["Black Mambo"](https://youtu.be/cGr1Xs_PAPg) by Glass Animals

 

 

 

 

⇷⤈⇸  **_Ena_   **⇷⤈⇸

 

 

He was ruining a beautiful thing. _In all the best ways._

Under normal circumstances, she would have been completely submerged in her studies by now, happily lost in a daze of fascinating subject matter. Greek Mythology and Folklore was as exciting a course as one could get in pursuit of college credits, and she had signed up enthusiastically when she saw the offering.

So, it wasn’t as if the class bored her. It was that he _—Kylo_ —her mind sighed—was a perfect distraction. His presence wrote a pleasant death for her concentration, without fail. Right off the bat, he’d captured her in look and deed; his features so stark against that pale skin; his witty, quiet mannerisms so different from her outgoing boisterousness.

He was... _incredibly attractive._

And _oh_. But, the interest was mutual.

For over a month now, they’d traded loaded looks back and forth across the ring of desks that their professor insisted on for group discussion. It was a game they played; a silent chess match of sexual tension.

He’d advance; a dark-eyed knight whose gaze burned holes in her clothes, making her melt with want of him. She’d put him in check with her queen—sucking nonchalantly at a watermelon jolly rancher, a tiny smile on her lips—never once looking his way.

Coyness and enticement inscribed the arrows they aimed at one another, and their barbs had grown sharper of late.

Their chemistry was heating up, corresponding with the subject matter of the myths they were covering; his appraisals lingering boldly; singeing her skin and causing a faint blush to spread across her cheeks.

But, for all his apparent interest, he never had approached her, and Rey was at the end of her patience. Emboldened by the signs, she’d been summoning the courage to ask him out, having endured more than enough of their delicious but unfulfilling flirtations.

Tempted, she glanced at him from over the rim of her laptop, tracing the full curve of his impossibly plush lips.

 _I’ve got to know how that boy tastes._..

“Rey?”

She jumped a little, abashed as she hastily recovered herself. Professor Hamill was looking at her expectantly, his eyebrow arched. _Crap!_

“Would you care to share with the class your take on the mythos surrounding the fate of Persephone?”

Rey straightened in her seat, her golden eyes wide. “Sure, so, uh, my take on it is maybe it wasn’t so bad.” Reading the skepticism on her professor’s face, she hastened to explain further.

“I mean, for all that her abduction had to be terrifying, it’s possible she saw how entranced Hades was with her...and if you compare her fate--a conquest raised to a queen--with that of other women in Grecian myths, I can’t help but think she had it fairly good,” she finished, swallowing nervously.

Her traitorous eyes stole a glance at Kylo, and a little piece of her died inside at the appreciative little smile he favored her with.

 _Goddamnit_. Today had to be the day.

The unimpressed look on her professor’s face redirected her thoughts with breakneck speed.

She opened her mouth to defend her position further but cut off at the rare sound of his deep, commanding voice.

“I’ve thought about that too; maybe Persephone knew what she was doing when she ate the pomegranate seeds. I buy Rey’s theory; it's possible she was won over by Hades in their time together—that she _wanted_ to return to him after a reunion with her mother.”

Professor Hamill’s sandy eyebrows quirked up, surprised by the consolidated view.

“Well, it’s an interesting train of thought,” he mused. “On the optimistic side, but I must admit—not an impossibility.”

A classmate fixed Rey with an arch look. “Sounds like a case of Stockholm Syndrome to me.”

The swift pang of embarrassment she felt was again transformed into something light and airy by Kylo’s defense, mounted before she could reply.

She loved how casually he spoke, how bored he sounded, making his defense of her somehow more thrilling.

“Oh, I don’t know. Hades tends to get a bad rap; most deities associated with death do. Maybe he wasn’t so rotten, or at least, not to her,” he broke off, glancing at Rey with a little smirk that _did_ things to her.

“Or...maybe Persephone just liked her boys bad.” He went in for the kill, licking his full lower lip with a subtle swipe of his tongue.

“She wouldn’t be the first…”

Professor Hamill snorted at that. “Touche,” he said dryly, shaking his head with amusement as he glanced at his watch. “Well, we’re just about out of time, but I’d like to pursue this train of thought when next we meet.” He clapped his hands together, straightening up from his comfortable slouch. “Alright, guys, midterms are Monday, so a few quick announcements before we adjourn…”

Rey completely tuned out of was being said as she tried to decipher the innuendo of his comments. And the sly half-smile that had accompanied them.

By the time class was dismissed she was positively humming with anxious determination. Rey gathered her things slowly, wading through tides of nervousness as her classmates booked for the exit.

She kept Kylo in her peripherals. It wasn't hard to do, what with his commanding physical stature cloaked in the black he favored. She couldn't help but notice how he took his time too, realizing the room was now nearly empty and they alone remained.

Finally, she looked up to see him watching her, tilting his head to the side and brushing the raven-dark hair from his eyes. She took a quick breath and brought herself to speak, approaching where he leaned casually against a desk. “Hey, thanks for coming to my rescue earlier.”

His smile was trouble with a capital " _T_ ".

“I meant what I said.”

She snorted, and her lip quirked up. “Which part? Persephone being swayed, or the part about girls liking bad boys?” She quipped, unable to stop from needling him a bit.

His eyes narrowed near imperceptibly, sparkling with the challenge. “Both,” he asserted, his voice dropping an octave, its rich, intimate sound reverberating up her spine. It was a clear invitation, and Rey’s heart sped even faster.

Before she could second-guess herself, she blurted out, “Do you want to study with me later?”

“I was beginning to think you’d never ask,” he drawled.

She exhaled as a thrill coursed through her. “Great,” she breathed, getting her game face back on, smiling up at him coyly. “What’s your number? I’ll text you my addy.”

Whipping out her phone, she punched in the number he recited. Then she looked up at him, winded by the storm of butterflies fluttering within her chest.

“How does 6 pm work for you?” Something wicked seized her, and she added, “My roommate is out of town so we’ll have the place to ourselves…”

She was rewarded by the sight of his expressive eyes darkening with unmistakable desire. The low timbre of his voice was hazardous.

“The place to ourselves, hmm?” He glanced behind them, quickly verifying they were alone before slowly, purposefully redirecting his bottomless gaze back upon her, freezing her with want.

“That’s good,” he growled, “I have so much studying to do…” He reached out to snare the strap of her book bag and reeled her into him, the unveiled hunger in his dark eyes making her insides melt.

“So many things to learn,” he said, speaking each word slow and deliberate, “and I’m gonna need to give it all my concentration.”

She swallowed, eyebrows beginning to furrow as she responded to the intimacy of his eye contact and the thinly veiled eroticism in his words. Her lips parted as she tried to breathe, struggling to navigate the steamy turn their game had taken.

He moved slowly, so slow, his hand rising up to touch her face, giving her ample time to back out.

Rey held his stare as his fingertips caressed her cheek, proud of not closing her eyes and just swooning against him. His touch sent electric jolts flying south to light a fire between her thighs, and she swallowed. He noted her reactions with the ghost of a smile, continuing to watch her carefully.

“Yes,” he growled, “I think alone would benefit our focus best...on our studies of course…”

She bit off a moan as his thumb stroked gently over her lips, beginning to tremble under the heat of his gaze and soft, exploratory touches.

“But perhaps we might get a head-start while we’re here…?”

Holding her stare, he lowered his head, pausing mere inches from her lips. Rey’s heart pounded on overtime, aware she was on the threshold of fulfillment.

“May I?” he asked, breath warm against her skin.

“Never ask me again,” she managed, her mind fleeing the scene, dashed by the wondrous press of his lips.

He kept it tame at first, kissing her tenderly as he tested out the soft give of her mouth. It couldn’t last though, and he began to nibble teasingly, making her head spin.

Her bookbag slipped from her shoulder, hitting the ground with a muffled thump that neither noticed. Needing support, she wound her hands into the fabric at his sides, arching into him so that their chests touched and she had to tilt her head even further up to accommodate his height.

She felt the hot stroke of his tongue lick tentatively at the seam of her mouth, begging her entrance. Her lips parted for him, and she whimpered her assent softly into his mouth as they began a slow, sensual dance. His enormous hand spanned her lower back while its twin threaded through her hair, supporting her neck so that he might kiss her harder.

She felt her body respond as his tongue slid languidly against hers, each stroke begging the question.

His gentle sucking and biting making her envision other things he could do with that mouth.

She slid her breasts lightly against the solid planes of his chest, shivering as she felt her nipples tighten almost painfully. His approving growl sent a bolt of electric pleasure straight to her sex, causing her panties to flood with wet warmth. The passion between them was accelerating; its intoxicating drip becoming harder to resist the longer they tangled.

Kylo groaned, clearly affected, pausing to whisper against her mouth, “You’re gonna drive me to lock that door…”

Feeling his magical hands stray over the curve of her ass, she exhaled through parted lips flushed red with his attentions.

Possessiveness stirred in his darkened gaze, and he stared her down, daring her to respond in kind.

She arose on tiptoes seeking his kiss. Deviously keeping her body firmly pressed to his, rubbing herself against the massive erection concealed in his jeans.

His answer was fierce, biting at her jawline with a groan before sinking his teeth into her neck. She keened softly, knees going weak as his heavenly mouth began to suck at her throat. All while his enormous hands kneaded her ass, pressing her hips firmly against his straining cock. She whined breathlessly, catching herself wanting to take this waaay further than they should. _Not here at least_.

Reluctantly, she called his name softly, hands riding between them to tame the conflagration of their embrace. He was instantly attentive to her signal; his hands sliding back up to rub at her sides, exhaling shakily and touching his forehead to hers.

“Are you okay?” He asked softly, his blown-out eyes searching her face.

She laughed breathlessly, fighting to refrain from starting it back up again. “Oh, god yes. I’m more than okay.”

Her soft hazel eyes drifted from his addictive lips up to stare intently into his eyes. “I’ve wanted you for so long...and...you feel so incredible I don’t want to stop. But, maybe here’s not the best place for us to continue…”

Palming her cheek, he gently turned her face, tilting it up to receive feather-soft kisses all over her cheekbone and temple. “No. Here’s no good," he murmured, "Not unless you’re gonna let me lock that door…”

His smile was devilish, and she giggled lightly. Mirth danced in his eyes as he continued to stroke her cheek with his long fingers.

“But, I’ll see you at six o’clock, right?” he asked.

She blinked slowly at him as the swarm of butterflies reawoke. “Six it is.”

He straightened to his considerable height, leaning over and tilting up her chin to leave a firm promise on her lips.

“Don’t forget to text me, little one.” he murmured, his eyes teasing as he backed away, still facing her, a roguish half-smile on his reddened lips.

“Oh no,” she breathed, favoring him with a beguiling look. “There’s no chance of that.”

She watched him turn and go, her eyes drifting appreciatively down his backside, heart still skipping in her chest. Then she sank wobbly-kneed into the nearest chair, staring wide-eyed at the floor, seeing nothing. She’d known they had chemistry, but THIS...

If she’d had any idea tangling with him would be this out-into-orbit, she’d have done it weeks ago. Giving herself a pep talk, she summoned her sea legs and retrieved her abandoned bag from the floor. All the while still coaching herself through the heat of their encounter.

 

⇷⤈⇸

 

Rey had floated from her classroom, six blissful feet off the ground. Before departing campus, she’d had to step into the ladies room, compelled by the aftermath of their entanglement. Her panties were a lost cause, and she ended up removing them and stuffing them unceremoniously into a side pocket.

_Holy mother. All this from just one kiss?_

He hadn’t even gotten into her pants yet. _What was that going to be like?_  

She shook her head in weak disbelief, feeling dizzy as she made for the parking lot, thinking all the way that she was a straight goner for this guy.

Skipping up the stairs to her apartment, she’d unlocked the door and tossed her bookbag down, rueing the summer heat that came with having a top-floor unit.

She hustled through a cold rinse before changing into a pair of soft shorts and her favorite well-worn tank top. Emerging fresh and clean, she’d tapped Kylo out a text with her address and a short message, reading it three times before hitting “send” with a shaky finger.

Exhaling an anxious breath, she turned a critical eye on her place. It was in need of a spruce-up. She tossed a left-out pizza box, cleared some dirty dishes from the living room and gave her surfaces a wipe-down. A quick vacuum and arrangement of the throw pillows later and it earned the green light. Somehow, her preparations for their date had made her feel even more nervous about his coming over.

It was only two in the afternoon, and she needed a distraction. Sitting down at her desk, she retrieved her laptop and textbook, intent on submerging her mind. Flipping it open, she thumbed to the section devoted to Hades and began to review the Claiming of Persephone, wryly congratulating herself for getting some honest-to-goodness studying done before he showed up.

A traitorous yawn snuck out as she examined the illustrations in her text. The late shift she’d worked last night was catching up, and she felt the tendrils of sleepiness wind sinuously through her vision. There was time for a nap before six...she brought her laptop to bed and flopped down with it, cross-referencing retellings of the fated mythical abduction.

Before long, the screen began to blur, and when she realized she’d been reading the same paragraph over and over, she gave in to her need for sleep. Rey hummed as her eyes closed, reliving how his massive hands had engulfed her body, making her feel so tiny and delicate. _God, he was beautiful._

She conjured the vision of Kylo’s dark, mesmerizing stare. With his dangerous looks and quiet intensity, he would make for a perfect modern-day Hades.

 _Everything he’d done in their classroom earlier had been godlike as well_.

Her heart did a little flip-flop as her mind played out the fantasy. Sleep came to the tune of their embrace; the way his fingertips had traced fire in lingering patterns on her skin, every inch of her body singing out for more of his delicious touch.

 

 

⇷⤈⇸  _**Dio**_   ⇷⤈⇸

 

 

  
Persephone burst through the tall trees at the edge of the meadow, leaving her ethereal friends behind her.

The wood nymphs halted, watching helplessly as her sunlit form receded further, longing to follow but unable to break free of their instinctive mistrust of wide, open spaces. They flitted about the border of the forest, stroking one another nervously with their long pale fingers.

Suffering no such qualms, she giggled, racing lightly through the tasseled golden grasses; her chartreuse gown hiked above smooth thighs. The sun lit her upturned face as she cavorted free of care, drunk on the whimsy of youth.

It was high summer, and Demeter had worked her magic, sowing brightly-colored wildflowers about in wonderous disarray. Turning back toward the forest’s edge, she felt her chest swell with amusement at the forlorn faces of her friends dwindling in the distance. The tiny jeweled blossoms her mother had adorned her with winked amongst her dark mane as she tossed her head playfully.

She crooked her finger at them, beckoning the pensive nymphs forward.

“You are all ridiculous! Come! Apollo is gracious today, and the flowers bloom more fully for his favor…”

Seeing that they weren’t swayed, she laughed softly, turning her back and prancing over the crest of a low hill and out of sight. She scanned the undulating tapestry before her as she skipped about, searching for a particularly prized specimen to tempt them forth.

A luscious flare of carnal red caught her eye; as impossible to miss as a star fallen amongst the field. She surged forward, wading through the color-dappled grasses to examine the unusual bloom. Her hazel eyes widened as she knelt down before it, the vivid green silk of her gown pooling elegantly about her slender figure.

It was a blood-red lily, the likes of which she’d never seen.

Utterly entranced, she reached for it, her delicate hands folding beneath its lurid, weighty petals, cupping it gently like the upturned face of a lover.

Thunder sounded in the distance, rolling through the clear sky like unseen boulders. Its sound didn’t even register, so captivated was she by the impossibly lush flower beneath her fingertips. The ominous rumble deepened, finally striking her as odd, but she failed to notice anything was genuinely amiss until the ground began to shake beneath her feet. With a sinking feeling in her stomach, Persephone stood, whirling to see an exquisitely wrought golden chariot bearing down upon her, drawn by four horses dark as pitch.

Her breath caught at the majestic sight; the ornate vehicle appeared to be made of pure gold, and the sun refracted off it, scattering blinding darts of light in all directions. Its driver was cloaked in black that streamed from his warrior’s body like smoke, a terrifying horned mask concealing his face.

Peril bore down upon her and her mind blanked. She was riveted to the ground, paralyzed by disbelief. Her pursuer rode his chariot with ingrained prowess, driving his mares mere inches from her frozen form, so close she could’ve reached out to brush their lathered flanks.

She didn't have time to process the way he leaned out over the side, angling toward her before the impact of his arm hit her waist. The breath was knocked from her lungs as she was violently lifted from the meadow and into the cage of his arms. Without choice, she clung to the sculpted planes of his solid body, holding on instinctively amidst the chaos about her. Before she could think to react, a terrible sound filled her ears; the deep archaic rumble of earth parting.

Time froze as the mares leaped in concert; the lurching jostle of the chariot smoothing all at once. Persephone’s heart ceased to beat for one infinitesimal second as she perceived their weightlessness. They were flying, though not upwards. She saw the great rift pass over them as the chariot descended into the earthen maw.

The uncaring blue sky dwindled as she was born down, away from the land of light and life, down into the dark.

 

⇷⤈⇸

 

Persephone clung to him, her eyes pinched shut as she fought with the potent draught of fear that raced through her veins. The chariot continued its smooth descent, defying the growing darkness with its golden gleam.

She was held tight against her captor's body and longed to writhe free of his grasp, but continued to hold him for fear of falling headlong into the murky unknown. She snuck a look at him; he was tall and broad-chested, the well-muscled body under her hands a study in masculinity.

Looking frightfully over her shoulder, she could only see vast empty darkness overhead; as if the earth’s surface was merely a crust that contained a whole separate realm…

A sudden thought pierced through her shock like a blade of ice. She concentrated, reaching out with her feelings to test him. There it was: the hum of omnipotent magic stirring beneath his skin, its presence confirming her suspicion. Persephone gasped, turning frightened eyes on the man holding her, her throat constricting as understanding dawned.

The mares touched down, landing with a jolt onto terra firma and cantering to a stop.

She quickly recoiled from her abductor, surprised when his iron grip released, allowing her retreat to the far wall of the chariot. Facing him, she pushed wind-swept hair from her teary eyes and fixed him with a hard stare. She lifted her chin defiantly, every inch a goddess.

“Hades…” Her voice was quiet, and the fear he’d largely expected to tinge her words was already fading, replaced by a different emotion...accusation.

The god in his horned golden helm was silent, watching her with smoky eyes through his visor. Raising a leather-clad hand, he lifted his mask, removing it smoothly.

She beheld his face; skin pale as milk, his hair lustrous and black as the wing of a raven. Her throat constricted as she registered his dark, masculine beauty. She swallowed involuntarily, clenching her jaw, fighting her reaction. His extraordinary eyes drew her unwillingly, and she was winded by what she saw there; a melancholy so profound, its depth could swallow her should she linger.

Feeling no menace from him, she spoke. “Why have you brought me here? You know my mother--”

“Would never have let you go,” he finished, his voice deep and melodic.

She bravely returned his stare, her voice low and frank. “She will be looking for me. You won’t be able to keep me here for long…”

His bottomless gaze skirted slowly over the planes of her face, reverently soaking in her countenance as though she were the remedy to his ails.

Still, he made no move to approach her.

“Yes. Demeter will rage when she learns of your disappearance. ‘Tis not I who shall bear her wrath, but Zeus himself, who has given me leave to bring you here.”

Her heart shrank, knowing the truth even as he spoke. “Zeus…?” She whispered, her eyes round with the implication. “How could he...I...I can’t--” she broke off, overwhelmed by the implication of her predicament. Her eyes blurred, already beginning to mourn the world she’d lost.

“Please, Persephone,” he said, his voice gentle, “forgive the uncouth manner of your abduction. For truly, I could discern no other way to summon you to my realm.”

His subdued tone roused her from the stupor of growing panic, compelling her attention. “Please. Hear my words.”

She kept her chin raised, her face stony as she stared into the distance over his shoulder, refusing to look at him.

“I first beheld you several turns ago along the shores of Elafonisi. You were collecting shells when you came upon an old fisherman who all but knocked upon my gates.”

Her eyes flicked to his face and her delicate brows furrowed, startled.

“I came to know your mercy, watching in awe as you gathered a dying stranger in your arms. The deep, abiding kindness you showed him; the way you cooled his brow and sang for him as he expired...I wonder if you know the gift you gave him.”

She was now staring unbidden at him, her eyes bright with unshed tears.

“Charon bore his soul to me, light as a feather and utterly at peace. I met him at the gates and led him to the river Lethe, and he whispered that he’d met a goddess at the last.”

Reverence lit his expressive eyes, and the sealed rose of her heart unfurled a petal.

“This mortal who knew the Elysium of your embrace--I _envied_ him. The natural reaction you have to suffering; your compassion--it is singularly exceptional. I have spent time immemorial observing the conduct of mortals and gods alike, and in all the eons I’ve never beheld your equal.”

He softly continued, “I’ve watched you and seen the good deeds you sow, the kindness that guides your hand. Your soul is pure and shines with light, bathing all about you in divine radiance.”

With a smooth motion, the dark god sank to one knee, his eyes earnest and imploring.

“You own my heart, and I could never bear your discontent. Come with me, if only for a while, and let me show you my realm.”

As he spoke, he slowly loosened the supple black gloves that sheathed his hands, peeling them away. He held one out to her, compelling her with the simple gesture to take both his hand and immortal soul.

“Give me the chance to demonstrate the depth of my feelings, and if you are unhappy, I’ll not force you to stay.”

“Persephone _...please._ ”

Her eyes never wavered as she trustingly extended her hand, noting how child-like it appeared next to his. Their fingers paused, hovering briefly over one another, a warmth buzzing between them like the kiss of sunlight.

She gasped as they came together. A low pulse traveled through her body, flowing sinuously through her veins like liquid gold, pleasure radiating from the glowing place where they touched. The hazel of her eyes reduced to a slender circlet of light. She blinked rapidly, inhaling at the unfamiliar thrill as her hand slid further into his.

His deep voice was tinted with subdued joy.

“Thank you, my love,” he murmured, his almond-shaped eyes searching her face, noting her reaction with veiled interest.

She felt dazed as he guided her down from the chariot, her breath caught like a bird trapped, blood singing with the airy pleasure of his touch.

A change had come over him. The veil of profound melancholy that had cloaked him as a shadow lifted. He was resplendent as he held her delicate hand in his own, leading her along a path of pale marble flagstone.

Ornate sconces flared to life along the way, casting a soft, gauzy glow upon the path. As they walked, she examined his profile curiously, noticing the translucent golden crown that had materialized amongst his midnight locks, its sharp spires gleaming in the dimness. The warm glow of pleasure still radiated from his touch, and she wondered at it even as she soaked in the delicious feeling.

The path they traveled approached a vast cavern lit with silvery light.

Persephone gasped quietly, thoroughly unprepared for the beauty of the infamous underworld river. It spread before her; a broad swath of luminous water that glowed with the light of the moon, illuminating the dimness.

She turned to him, her lips parted in surprise. “This is the river Styx?”

“Indeed. You are surprised…” It was a statement, not a question, and she hastened to admit her mistake.

“I am. I hadn’t thought it would be so beautiful, so serene…”

He gazed down at her, taken with her beauty as she stood, graced by the light of the ethereal river.

His voice was gentle.

“Regardless their deeds in life, I wish only peace upon the souls entering my realm. They spend their waking years afraid of what awaits after death, and I judge that fear aplenty. I afford them the simple gift of tranquility before they meet the Three and are sorted by the deeds of their own hand.”

She let go of his hand, drifting to the water’s edge to kneel and examine the silvery river that meandered peaceably before her. Dipping a hand in, she brought it closer, mesmerized by the way it softly glowed, dripping rivulets of light through her fingers. She looked up in childlike delight, seeing him standing watch;  a dark sentinel gazing down at her. Something in his gaze captured her breath, and she felt an unknown stirring in her breast.

Another petal uncurled from her untouched heart, the space in the tightly furled blossom growing, widening.

An unadorned ferry of ebony awaited them on the river bank, and she drifted to him, obeying his beckons with wide eyes. He stared down at her as his hands came up to alight upon the slender curve of her waist. Again, his touch drew a gasp from her, and she swooned against his chest as the golden vines of rapture shot forth, winding deliciously through her body.

Her hands curled about his biceps, seeking support. “What is this magic you have over me,” she murmured, her voice shaky. “How does your touch make my body feel this thing?”

He hummed; a low purr like that of a great cat.

“Innocent love. You have much to learn of pleasure.”

His words, so coy, were nonetheless delivered with simple honesty. Her curiosity stirred further, awakening thoughts her goddess-mother would surely disapprove of.

She mulled the temptation of his answer but kept her peace, allowing him to lift her from the bank as if she weighed nothing at all. He set her lightly aboard, and she felt an odd pang as he released her, severing the strangely addictive feeling that happened when he touched her... Leaning into the prow, he pushed the boat into the stream before vaulting in, silvery water dripping from his well-muscled thighs.

Without command, the boat glided unerringly for the opposite shore, its pointed prow slicing elegantly through the luminescent water, drawing forth a lover's sigh.

 

 

⇷⤈⇸  _**Tria**_   ⇷⤈⇸

 

 

Across the water loomed a magnificent Acropolis, set parallel to the banks of the Styx atop a low rise. Its soaring columns were capped with delicately stylized acanthus and fern, and the gentle slope of its roof was tiled in marble. A low light appeared to radiate from within the white stone, softly banishing the shadows.

Hades had stood silently, watching the approach of his domain with dark, unreadable eyes. As the ferryboat slid to a stop along a small stone outcrop, he turned to her, again offering his hand. She swallowed, already feeling weak, anticipating the jolt. Reaching out, she slid her petite hand into his with a shiver she didn’t hide. Staring up at him with lowered lids, her lips parted with a pleasant sigh as the tingling surge of gold flowed forth from his touch along the pathways of her nerves.

The feeling was so exquisite, she had to know.

Following her impulse as she always did, she pulled herself flush against his body and reached a hand up to caress his cheek. She invited his kiss with the tilt of her slender neck and soft press of her body to his.

His magical hands slipped like pale water through the strands of her hair. Holding her darkening stare, he obeyed her summons, descending to taste her.

The meet of their lips was pure ecstasy, and Persephone moaned softly, without awareness of anything but the warm pressure of his mouth.

Sparks darted through her, falling like stars of bliss to light fires where they landed, flushing her with warmth. Her eyes slipped closed as she opened for him, giving herself over to the divine sweep of his tongue, softly, gently plundering her mouth. He tasted of honeyed spice, and she couldn’t help but lick tentatively at him in turn, exploring his sweetness, sampling that forbidden thing her mother had always warned her against.

Cradling her head, he slowed the surge of his mouth, nibbling delicately at her luscious lips. He could feel the weakness in her limbs and held her slight waist tight against him, saving her from the things he did. He hummed against her mouth, turning her limp head aside to tenderly kiss the fairness of her face, murmuring softly over her skin.

“Persephone...my light...”

He dipped his head lower, his mouth seeking the sensitive skin of her throat.

“Your radiance...how it burns…”

She swooned as his lips settled over her neck and gently sucked, his mouth tracing lines of golden rapture upon her skin.

Sighing, she gave herself over completely, awash in pure sensation. His hands cradled her safely within his embrace, but she found herself wanting; her flushed lips parting to express her wish in a soft, pleading voice.

“More…”

His sensual kisses and masculine growls alchemized, intoxicating her further, and she clung to him as he swept her up into his embrace.

The silk of her gown dripped from his arms in a verdant cascade, swaying gently as he bore her through the stately marble propylaia that flanked the path into his compound.

She trembled, her body chiming for his touch, and he responded, continuing meditative kisses as he walked her up the marble flagstone through a lavish, manicured agora. Through the delirium of passion, she registered fine marble benches and stately cypress, but the movement of his lips over hers was all-encompassing.

Reaching the wide stone steps of the Acropolis, he ascended, leading them down a statued _stoa_ and past gold-studded doors thrown wide. Somewhere nearby, a lyre played; its sound lacing the air, melodic and haunting.

He ignored the lavishly appointed cella she glimpsed as they passed, descending a second set of wide steps and out from underneath the stoa. She was swept ceremoniously through a curtain of pale bougainvillea and into a hidden garden. Off in the torch-lit distance came the soft sound of rushing water, and Persephone picked up the heady fragrance of narcissus and orange blossom, inhaling deeply against his skin as she was kissed again and again.

He paused his attentions, gently setting her feet into the soft grass. Released, she slowly took in her surroundings with growing wonder.

“This place was made for you, sweet love. Every bloom, every tree; all wrought to capture the fairness of your smile.”

He watched her turn about, measuring her reactions, gratified by her obvious pleasure. The shadowy haven beckoned her forth, and she obeyed, following her whim to explore, glancing back at him in delight.

Orange trees bloomed in the dark, their waxy blooms rich with scent, and she dipped low to trail her fingers over riots of poppy and anemone. Thickets of lavender peppered the grass, their flowers lending a soft herbal fragrance that tempered the sweetness of the orange blossoms. Torches lit a path through the laden trees, and she followed them, delighting in the pools of light that that woke the colors within their flickering circles.

The sights and scents, the sound of running water and promise of his intoxicating touch all charged the moment like an electrical storm. The sensory overload snapped against her skin like static, and she looked over her shoulder, gazing back at him with leonine eyes.

He followed through the trees; a tall, formidable shadow. The sight of him slowly stalking her brought about a wild recklessness.

Her voice was playful and airy as she hiked her gown up about her thighs, bidding him come. With her heart thrumming, she spun on her heel and sprang, racing nimble as a doe toward the sounds of flowing water.

For all his size, he was silent as he chased, but she could feel him close on her heels. She laughed lightly, the feminine sound of laughter ringing through the grove like the tinkling of bells. The torches had ceased long before she came upon the waterfall, and she halted before the enchanted grotto, gazing upon it in stunned silence.  

A magnificent stand of weeping willows stood about a silvery pool, their tears swaying gracefully in the mist. She stepped forth in wonder, her eyes wide as she beheld the fireflies scattered about the air, their light reflecting off the water’s surface like a hundred tiny luminaries come down to dance for her.

She felt her heart soften; felt its silken petals slide against one another as it commenced to bloom within her breast.

Turning to see him watching, she stilled, seeing the quiet want in his eyes, recognizing it for her own.

The lambent dance of shadow and pale light played over her hauntingly as she began to slip from her gown.

It fell in shimmering folds, birthing her slender curves from chartreuse silk, pooling with a sigh about her ankles. She stepped from the forgotten dress and sauntered to meet him, guileless and beautiful in her nakedness. Pausing before him, she met his heated stare, unafraid.

She watched as his hands came up to touch his collarbone, sweeping down his body with a negligent gesture, and his dark raiment dissipated, revealing him fully. Her lips parted that she might breathe, captive as she was by the stars twinkling amidst the night sky of his eyes. Again, he knelt before her, staring up in dark-eyed adoration at the goddess unveiled. His voice was soft and filled with reverence.

“Persephone. Light of my heart. You have awoken me, breathing life into one who had given up hope of ever truly living.”

His voice cracked and he paused, swallowing his emotion before continuing in a low tone.

“I could only dream of the honor of your transcendence. Do you give it freely?”

She lifted her head, the choice already made. “Yes,” she said, her voice clear and steady, “ I’d learn the pleasure of joining, and…” she paused, stretching out her fingers to gently brush his jawline, reveling in the tingle.

”I’d have you be the one to teach me.”

A thrill ran through her as she watched his eyes slip closed, overcome by the consequence of her decision. The fireflies danced lazily about them, casting a pale light upon skin dewy with the mist of the waterfall. Energy sizzled off the muscular planes of his body, radiating from him like shimmering waves of heat.

He opened his eyes and looked up at her, his hands reaching out to hover over her skin, letting her feel what was coming.

She shuddered as he made contact, sliding up the side of her thighs, causing her to moan as the magic flowed from his touch. Tracks of gold lingered in his wake, sparkling upon her skin. His eyes burned and his whisper was hoarse.

 

“It starts like this.”

 

His lips met the flat expanse of her stomach, parting to taste her soft skin. She gasped as her body lit up, sparking where he connected, causing her sex to flood with hot pleasure.

His glorious mouth suckled a path to her side, now nipping lightly with teeth as his hands roamed over her back and rib cage. She whimpered with each little bite he took, hands clinging to the hard planes of his shoulders, delighting in the way his muscles rolled beneath her fingertips. He’d been tracing light golden stripes along undercurve of her breasts when he paused to look up at her, making sure her half-lidded eyes watched him.

“Then, I kiss you here,” he murmured, taking what he’d been building up to, dipping his head to engulf her hardened nipple with his mouth.

Her gasp was the sweetest music, and he hummed as he suckled hungrily at the fruit of her body. She cried out, her trembling legs giving up, unable to stand amidst the waves of pure sensation that lapped from where his mouth worked at her breasts. Reveling in her weakness, he let her gently fold down, his hands sliding around the back of her thighs to spread her over his lap.

Her lips were suddenly available, and he claimed them, tilting his head to slant his mouth over hers as his fingers traced her spine. He lapped at her brazenly, worshiping her with the fervent devotion of his kisses. The intensity was taking over, becoming everything, sweeping her away in a heated tide of desire.

She was an elegant slate upon which he wrote sensation; his signature a golden scrawl of hedonistic pleasure.

He spoke lowly in her ear, “Next, I taste the sweetness of your skin,” he nipped the lobe of her ear, drawing a whimper, “here,” he murmured, biting her neck gently, “ just so…”

She clung to him in wonder, softly whining as he ravished her, threading her hands through his ebony hair, astounded by its silky, thick texture. She gripped it in desperate handfuls when he drew skin and muscle between his teeth, making her feel deliciously faint.

He slid a hand between them, grasping the heavy length between his legs. His voice was gravelly with want. “And we come together... _here_ ,” he said, rubbing the plush head of his cock over her slippery clit, eliciting a breathy whine of surprise.

She shuddered, reduced to a whole new level of weak as she felt the hardness of his sex slide against the drenched velvet of her sensitive skin. He hummed deep in his chest, flossing himself teasingly through her delicate folds, enticing her with the press of his spongy tip.

Persephone tried to breathe but found her ability had transferred to him; that it was he, with the actions of his mouth and touch who dictated when and how she drew breath. His enchanted hands were everywhere; sliding tracers over the delicate muscles of her back, leaving handprints on her rounded buttocks, stroking sparks over her thighs, cupping her breasts until they glowed with his fingerprints.

She sought his kiss as he angled his hips up, rubbing himself on her, teasing the pearly moisture from her overheated sex. Gripping her waist in both massive hands, he cocked his hips back, knocking gently at the soft door of her body. His voice was low and sonorous.

 

“Are you ready, my love?” I’ll make you a woman with a single stroke…”

 

He kissed her reddened lips, devouring her moan.  

 

“All you need to do is say it.”

 

She whimpered, squeezing her eyes closed, nodding her assent. He dallied teasingly, staring down at where he eased his head in and out of her liquid velvet.

 

“Come, my love,” he whispered, his voice dangerously seductive.

 

“ _Say it._ ”

 

She exhaled forcefully, hands sliding up his chest to wind into his lustrous mane, gripping him firmly.

 

“Take me.”

 

His hips released, thrusting his cock deep inside her with a single elegant stroke.

 

She cried out, her eyes rolling back as molten gold bumped her veins in a crest of celestial rapture.

 

Arching hard in his arms, she near blacked out, intoxicated by the suddenness of his introduction.

 

He groaned as he felt her delicate muscles pulse and release around his cock, gone for him already.

 

“Oh, my sweet love…” he sighed reverently, drawing back before sliding in, again and again, pumping smoothly into her, each thrust radiating violent pleasure down her thighs and up into her core.

Gathering her lolling head in his hands, he began to kiss her, coaxing life back with each pass of his tongue, licking and sucking at her mouth as he fucked her deep and slow. Each connection of their bodies drew forth an ardent moan, her cries of pleasure falling softly about the grotto.

His hands slipped under her buttocks, kneading gently before sliding lower, pulling her thighs lovingly about him. His hands never stilled, roving over her restlessly, stroking and kneading her curves, taking the liberty of her permission.

A feeling of weightlessness impressed itself as he suddenly slid even deeper into her, his hips undulating in sensuous waves, rocking her gently. Her eyes opened, and she saw that they floated vertically above the ground, suspended in the air as he penetrated her with long slow strokes.

His name tumbled from her lips, and he groaned his approval against her throat.

He held her flush against his body, never breaking stride, making love to her amongst the tiny living stars that lazily circled their entwined bodies. Watching her with eclipsed eyes, his lips parted as he took in the stunning goddess in his arms; her head tipped back, delirious with pleasure, bejeweled hair cascading down her back like a river of darkness.

 

“ _Persephone._ ”

 

He spoke her name like an invocation, and she responded, arching against him with repeated whimpers, the delicate muscles of her sex seizing up. Her brow furrowed as the ultimate delectation began to build; her sheath tightening rapturously about his cock.

He felt it, his eyes glittering with triumph as he grasped her sleek thighs from underneath, spreading her wider, increasing her feeling of openness.

Her nails dug into his shoulders, holding onto him as he began to match the climb of her pleasure with his strokes, pounding into her with increasing abandon. The intensity grew to unsustainable heights, and the sound of the goddess crying out in ecstasy filled the night lands, changing the very fabric of it; weaving golden threads of joy through its somber black.

She cupped his face and locked in a misty-eyed stare, wanting him to see her adoration, to know the paradise he’d brought her to. His eyes were pools of dark fire that burned beautifully, and she felt her heart fully unfurl, blooming for him as he earned it.

 

Working for her ascendancy.

 

Bearing her blazing through the portal of youth to be reborn in all her blinding glory.

 

Each thrust lifted her further into the air as he surged even deeper, taking her higher. Her pleasure had built into something exquisite; an artful thing of spun crystal that shattered with a final winning stroke into her core.

Her back arched gracefully into his hands as she threw back her head, shards of brilliant light scintillating out from the bow of her body. He gilded her with gold as she came undone, melting into torrents of bliss over the exquisite hardness he buried within her.

Holding her aloft, he gave a hoarse cry; the throb of her sheath pulling his seed forth violently, milking his length with each pulse of her body. He arched his hips up as he anointed her, trying to get even deeper, unable to fully satisfy his need to be closer to her.

She felt each spurt of his pleasure as an arrow of ecstasy, piercing her core with the primal joy of their coupling. Panting for air, she clung to him, her eyes shut as she beheld the stars he’d painted her with, her body sparking with tingling light. He continued to rock softly into her, murmuring praises and adorations as they spiraled slowly down to lay amidst the lush green grass.

Safely cradled in the shelter of his embrace, she sobbed quietly, wholly overcome by the power of their lovemaking. She clung to him fiercely, beholden to this man who had initiated her with such artful tenderness. Even now, he loved on her gently, strewing cloud-like kisses about her temples and the curve of her cheek, reassuring her without saying a word.

Turning into him, she sought his lips, pressing into them with her own, nibbling softly at him, trying out the whiles he had taught her. She licked shyly at him, tentatively sliding her tongue against his own, sucking at his mouth softly. Her attentions were rewarded by an emotive groan as his cock hardened within her.

Feeling the unfamiliar sensation of him filling her again, she instinctively gripped him; the delicate bands of her muscles tightening, ringing out final drops even as his body readied itself to give more.

She moaned with ecstasy.

 

He was going to fuck her _again_.

 

Claiming her lips again with a warning growl, he drew back his hips, testing the dripping slide of their joined flesh, thrusting back in with a wet slap. She moaned into his mouth, and he released her lips to smile darkly at her, speeding her heart even faster.

She watched his little smirk with wide eyes as he claimed her thighs, draping her legs over the strained muscles of his shoulders. He left kisses on each one as he settled her to his liking, scalding her with the directness of his gaze.

Persephone whimpered as she felt the depth he was afforded by positioning her body thusly, throwing her head aside, sinking her fingernails into his forearms as he forcefully thrust again, arching——

 

 

——even as she arched, waking to the fading sound of an ecstatic cry on her lips. Rey gasped as the feeling of a phantom thrust between her legs dissipated.

Her eyelids fluttered as she registered her heaving breath, the familiar ceiling of her bedroom coming into focus as the intoxicating dream receded.

Leaving behind an aftermath of stunning proportions.

The throbbing heat in her sex already told her what she wanted to know, but still, she reached down, her hand drifting leisurely between her thighs.

She pulled her loose shorts aside and delicately drew a fingertip up through an ocean of slickness.

Weakness flooded her limbs and her delicate brows furrowed, winded by the intensity of her dream, taken aback for the second time that day by the extent of her body's reaction.

_Holy hell._

Her mind spun as she relived the details. It had to be the most fantastically erotic dream she’d _ever_  experienced.

_And her Hades had worn HIS face._

She groaned, thanking their classroom tryst and the sordid myth she’d been immersed in for that incredibly erotic treat.

Languishing on her bed, her eyes fluttered closed and she wet her lips, trying to hold onto the incredible details...

A knock sounded at her door.

Her eyes snapped open as panic flooded through her. _Surely she hadn’t slept so long!?_  Her wrist flew up, confirming that heart failure was indeed warranted.

It was six o’ clock.

She flew from her bed as if ejected by a great, cosmic boot, racing to the bathroom to splash water on her face and check her reflection.

She looked...ravishing. The dream had done her justice; her coloring high and lips flushed a dark pink. Seeing the tips of her nipples jutting at her tank top, she made the reckless decision _not_ to put on a bra.

“Coming!” She called, shaking her head at the irony of her words, conscious of the outrageously wet slide between her nether her lips as she made her way to the front door.

Opening it, she froze, her breath already speeding up as his shadowy air of magnetism engulfed her.

Taking in her debauched appearance, his brief surprise morphed into appreciative desire. His gaze was hot as it traveled the length of her body, taking in the sight of her blown-out eyes and pebbled nipples straining against the thin material of her shirt.

He finished his assessment with a long, dark stare into her eyes, making her want nothing more than to tear the clothes from her body and do damn near anything he wanted.

_Fuck, if he wasn’t perfect._

A rustic gilded box appeared from behind his back, and he offered it to her silently.

She took it, looking up at him quizzically.

“I’ve brought you something,” he murmured.

His husky tone held the promise of dark delights.

He stepped closer, crowding her with his size, his dark eyes burning familiar holes into her exposed skin.

Rey forced her hands not to tremble, gently lifting the gilded top to reveal the box’s content.

Her heart stopped, breath arrested by the lush, erotic symbolism of his gift.

 

Nestled amidst its golden box was the ultimate icon of temptation, beckoning her decision, awaiting her pleasure.

 

 

A ruby red pomegranate.

 

 

 

⇷⤈⇸

 

 

 

 

**A key of Grecian terminology used above, in case you’re curious…**

Apollo = The sun god

Demeter = Goddess of the harvest, sister of Zeus

Zeus = The supreme god, protector of mankind and ruling deity

Hades = God of the Underworld

Persephone = Goddess of Spring, daughter of Demeter

Acropolis = A citadel usually placed upon a hill. “Acro” (high) “polis” (city)

Propylaia = Columned gates

Agora = An outdoor gathering place or assembly, often park-like and landscaped

Cella = Living quarters

Elafonisi = A particularly beautiful beach on the island of Crete

Charon = The boatman who ferries souls across the river Styx

River Styx = Called the river of souls, crossed by the recently deceased.

River Lethe = River of forgetfulness. One of five rivers bordering the Underworld.

Elysium = Paradise of the afterlife. The Greek version of heaven, also known as the Elysian Fields or Elysian Plain.

Ena, Dio, Tria = Greek for One, Two, Three 

**Author's Note:**

> A shout-out to my clan at The Writing Den!
> 
> I fall all over myself when I try to express how much I enjoy my time with you. The help and camaraderie I receive boosts my confidence and encourages me to write. You were the missing piece in my Reylo-obsessed heart, and I appreciate your humor and creativity to the moon and back!


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